Ann Arbor’s Amcor Acquires North American Plastics Business

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Ann Arbor-based Amcor Rigid Plastics, a manufacturer of rigid plastic packaging for the food, beverage, spirits, home/personal care, and health care industries, has completed the acquisition of Sonoco’s Global Plastics blow molding business in North America, which has its headquarters in South Carolina. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Company officials say the acquisition will increase Amcor Rigid Plastics’ workforce by an additional 850 employees and expand the company’s operational footprint with an additional six plants in the U.S. and one in Canada.

The seven plants manufacture custom rigid plastic bottles, jars, overcaps, and closures for the food, beverage, health and beauty, and personal care markets.

“This acquisition will strengthen our customer value proposition in the pharmaceutical, personal care, and specialty food segments,” says Mike Schmitt, president of Amcor Rigid Plastics. “It also will enhance and expand our position with additional multi-material processing, decorating capabilities, and complementary extrusion and blow molding assets.”

The closing of the Sonoco acquisition comes two months after Amcor Rigid Plastics first announced the agreement on Sept. 2. The deal was finalized after Amcor Rigid Plastics and Sonoco secured approval from all key regulatory bodies.

Amcor Rigid Plastics is part of Amcor Limited, a global company focused on a variety of flexible and rigid plastic packaging, with 95 percent of its sales in the food, beverage, health care, and tobacco industries. The company employs more than 31,000 people worldwide, operating in 40-plus countries and across more than 190 sites.